


Brothers

by botharetrue (orphan_account)



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-17
Updated: 2012-06-17
Packaged: 2017-11-07 22:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/436359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/botharetrue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako and Bolin go home after a long day. Coda to episode three, The Revelation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers

The brothers see Korra off at the pier. They wave to her silently and she nods back. None of them have the presence of mind to say anything. They watch her and Naga drift across the bay on her self-fashioned ice raft for a few moments before turning towards home.

 

They walk home in silence. On match nights, the neighborhood is full of people commiserating over losses or celebrating victories, even late into the night. The arena is closed until the tournament begins, and so the streets are deserted and dark. Their steps echo into the blackness.

When they reach their attic apartment, Mako collapses on the couch. Almost as soon as he’s settled down, he leans forward abruptly. In one motion, he grabs a paper bag off the table and tosses it to Bolin.

“Dumplings from that cart you like. They’ve been sitting here since yesterday, but you haven’t eaten so they’re better than nothing.” Mako collapses back again, letting his head loll to the side.

Bolin opens the bag and grins. “This looks great. Thanks, bro.”

The dumplings are cold, and their skins have hardened from being left out for a day but the chicken-boar and leek filling is still good. After a whole day of not eating, Bolin’s not complaining. Halfway through the bag, a thought occurs to him. “Aren’t you going to eat any? You haven’t eaten either.”

Mako waves him off without looking up. “I’m good. I got them for you anyway.”

“Well, thanks. And… thanks for being there tonight.”

“Of course I was there.” Mako sits up and looks at Bolin. His eyes are serious. “Don’t get yourself mixed up in this anymore.”

Bolin pops another dumpling in his mouth and responds around it. “You don’t need to tell me twice! I think I’m off triads and Equalists for good.”

“That’s not what I meant, Bolin. If there’s a problem, I’ll be the one to take care of it! Don’t go out looking for trouble and don’t get yourself into these stupid situations. Let me take care of it. I just need to know that you’re going to be safe, Bo.”

Bolin stares at Mako. After a moment, he has to look away. “Yeah… yeah, I promise.”

The clock at the Avatar Aang memorial chimes the hour in the distance. It’s late. Mako watches Bolin for a moment more before dropping his head down. He’s exhausted and sleeping in a park last night hasn’t done him any favors. “We should get some sleep.”

Bolin nods without bringing his gaze up from the floor. “You go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Mako leaves to climb up to their loft bedroom and Bolin takes his place on the couch. He rolls up the bag of dumplings and tosses it on the table, his appetite suddenly gone. Pabu bounds out of the darkness and curls up in his lap. 

“Hey there, little guy.” Bolin stokes at the Pabu’s russet coat absently. A thought occurs to him suddenly. He wonders if he and Pabu aren’t more alike than he’s ever thought; they’re both trained to perform tricks for a crowd while taken care of by someone else. Bolin shakes the grim thought out of his head before it fully solidifies. They’re the fabulous bending brothers. Everyone else in their lives has come and gone, but they’ve always stuck together through everything. He and Mako are a  _team_ , he thinks fiercely. 

Bolin gathers up Pabu in his arms. He looks down. Bolin’s eyes linger on the crumpled bag of dumplings for a moment before he heads to bed.


End file.
